Tag Archive: Illegal Immigration

With the president putting off any major decisions on dealing with the nation’s illegal immigrant crisis until after the November elections, I believe that now is the time for good citizens to stand up and recognize the dangerous challenge that this growing, illicit population presents to the nation. This may sound like extreme talk, but I’m being modest here by stipulating that the time for mass deportation has arrived.

First, a bit of recent history. These immigrants have poured into our nation by the millions from mostly impoverished parts of the world, especially Ireland. They come here with little or no skills, zero capital, and with many children in tow. In fact, recent news reports have revealed that tens of thousands of these foreigners are actually minors, sent by their desperate, irresponsible parents over vast distances to make a new and dangerous life in America. These young people are pouring over our borders in greater numbers than ever!

We need some honest talk here, because a clear case can be made of that deportation is the only reasonable solution, as this population’s infestation into our homeland continues at an unreasonable and unprecedented rate. To build a case and support my conclusions I have itemized the reasons why the undocumented immigrant population (especially Irish, of course) poses as a genuine menace to all of us:

1. Look at our cities, especially here in New Jersey. Entire neighborhoods in places like Newark, Jersey City and New Brunswick are now completely dominated – overrun – by Irish hordes. The fruits of these newcomers can be seen on our very streets; many are now infested with gangs and roving groups of hungry children. They encourage the perpetuation of dilapidated housing as they continue to pay exorbitant rents to exploitive landlords. This kind of civic deterioration cannot go on!

2. These Irish do not speak proper English (many still cling to their native tongue, the incomprehensible Gaelic) and even when they do acquire the rudiments of our language, their speech emerges in the form of an unintelligible, corrupted, pigeon English.

3. All of these Irish are Catholic. How can we expect them to become good and loyal citizens when their spiritual life is centered on the dictates of the Pope in Rome? How can we expect them to obey and value the Constitution and our democratic values when all they know is religious authoritarianism?

4. Political incorrection aside, these Irish have a violent temperament. They are well known for establishing illicit gangs, brawling and cursing in public and taking to drink! It also should be noted that due to their illegal status, the Irish will rarely if ever inform or involve the authorities in times of trouble. After all, summoning a police officer for any reason could lead (eventually) to deportation. Rather, they choose to endure crimes against them and allow the wicked to prosper, making our urban areas more dangerous.

5. The Irish typically have huge families. These families are a clear drag on our public school and benefit system. Our public sector is audibly groaning under the weight that their needs present.

6. Most Irish adults have no interest or desire in becoming active citizens. Survival and sustenance are their only priorities. They are bringing their foreign-born children here. These children are growing up thinking that they are American, but technically they’re not, and are clearly subject to deportation. These children grow into dreamers, really, because they will never be accepted by the mainstream of American society.

7. The Irish are certainly bringing wages down as they are willing to work in conditions that most good Americans would demand a high paycheck to endure. I know this specifically because I see them everywhere, working in gardens, toiling as nannies, taking care of our elderly and even in the construction of our homes.

Again, I want to reiterate, this nation belongs to the good, hardworking citizenry that have lived in this land and loved it for decades. These foreigners have no intention of becoming authentic Americans, and their deliberate self-separation and bizarre foreign customs – not to mention the larger financial burden they create – endanger our national prosperity and security. These Irish will never integrate into the mainstream of American society. I fear for our future, I really do.

Next week I will continue my warnings on the growth of the illegal immigrant population; I will focus on the arrival of other foreign scoundrels such as Italians, Germans and Jews.

Daniel Kurz is a resident of Princeton, N.J. and a proud veteran of the War of 1812. He is also the vice president of the local chapter of the Garden State’s Know-Nothing Party.

A major question for progressives in recent years and for upcoming elections is how we will stand on the question of illegal immigration, and the recent senate illegal immigration reform bill gives us a chance to crystallize our stance. From my vantage, a progressive policy position on this issue has been somewhat silenced by the red-meat conservative message of no allowance for ?amnesty? (a loaded term) for any illegal ?aliens? (a dehumanizing concept) and the media somewhat playing into this point of view. The senate bill, which combines increased funds for border security with the caveat that millions of undocumented workers can receive citizenship, is a less-than-perfect bill, but it is one that I think we should support because of its dual approach to the issue, that is, focusing on enforcement of laws to deter illegal immigrants from coming here, including penalizing companies who hire undocumented workers, while at the same time providing humane, real-world solutions such as citizenship for many of those workers who have been invited by American businesses to the U.S.

Our junior senator, Menendez, has been at the forefront of negotiations for the current senate immigration bill; to be sure, this has been Menendez?s most prominent moment in the national spotlight thus far in his senate career, as he is appearing on talk shows, is sought after for quotes on the current bill (he opposes it because of restrictions on families being allowed to immigrate), and is arguably the most prominent voice on the left in favor of humane, ethical treatment of illegal immigrants. Menendez?s opposition to the bill stems from the aforementioned deterrents to having families legally migrate with their fellow family members:

To change the terms more to his liking, the Hoboken Democrat has teamed up with Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., to introduce a measure that would make reuniting legal immigrants with their spouses and children living abroad a top priority. It now takes five to 10 years for spouses and underage children of legal immigrants to get green cards, according to Menendez’ staff.

Contrast this with Rep. LoBiondo?s reactionary, anti-immigrant statements on the recent bill, and you?ll be reminded why this South Jersey congressman needs to be shown the door in 2008:

Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-Ventnor, said allowing those who entered the United States illegally to remain here “is the very definition of amnesty. If the amnesty principles remain as proposed, the Senate should and must defeat the bill. I would be the first to vote against an amnesty bill.”

Unfortunately, the other side seems much more mobilized as a political force on this issue, as a recent Courier Post article http://www.courierpo… reports that:

Lawmakers say they’ve gotten hundreds of calls, mostly from people angry that the Senate proposal would allow an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to remain in the United States. Aides to Rep. Jim Saxton said the Mount Holly Republican alone has received 102 calls in the past two weeks, all opposing the deal.

Besides this mobilization in our supposedly progressive state, Mark Shields, on PBS?s News Hour reported that an unnamed Republican senator also received hundreds more calls, 1300 to 35, that were critical of any immigration bill that granted earned citizenship (again, the conservative buzzword is ?amnesty?) to illegal immigrants.

It is time for us to contact Senators Menendez and Lautenberg and our respective congressmen to let them know that we agree with them in general principle on this bill and that immigrant rights are important to us; the far right has been dominating this discussion for too long. Their offices in Washington can be reached at 202.224.4744 (Menendez) or (202) 224-3224 (Lautenberg). The left in our state needs to mobilize behind immigrant rights, as it has a direct effect on immigrant families in the state and on businesses, particularly farms, that rely on their labor to survive.

A couple of weeks ago, the Washington Post ran an article on how some cities are adopting a don’t-ask policy on immigration status. Residents can access city services, including calling the police, without fear of immigration status questions or problems. The small central Jersey borough of Hightstown was a frame for this story:

In the aftermath of a series of raids in 2004, the town council in this historic borough of 5,300 — transformed in recent years by an influx of at least 1,300 Latin Americans — unanimously approved a sort of immigrant bill of rights.
Joining a growing list of cities enacting a no-questions-asked policy on immigration status, Hightstown now allows its undocumented residents to officially interact with local police and access city services without fear of being reported to federal authorities.
It has opened new lines of communication here, officials say. One illegal immigrant at the complex where the raids were staged called on the police recently to help place a family member in alcohol rehabilitation; others have reported domestic abuse, extortion, theft and other crimes. Some are calling the town’s pro-immigrant mayor for advice on City Hall weddings and landlord troubles. Hightstown has added services aimed at immigrants, including free bilingual computer classes last month. Noting the shift, one Spanish-language newspaper recently dubbed Hightstown the “Paradise Town” of New Jersey.

Many at Blue Jersey have been critical of Riverside and Morristown for their harsh approach towards illegal immigrants. But is there really an alternative? Today’s Washington Post has a story Looking the Other Way on Immigrants: Some Cities Buck Federal Policies. It’s mainly about Hightstown, New Jersey. It’s now considered a sanctuary city, where police officials have been instructed not to ask about immigration status. The result: Crimes are reported, and the town is flourishing:

Hightstown Mayor Robert Patten, who hails from the core German-Irish stock in this heavily Democratic town, sees things differently. The town square, once peppered with empty storefronts, is brimming with new Latin American restaurants and remittance centers. Last year, the town closed the streets for an Ecuadorian festival that brought together hundreds of residents

“Most of us know this town would have a heck of a time trying to run itself these days without the immigrants,” said Patten, a Republican. “They’re working at the grocery stores, the fast-food places, they’re opening businesses and keeping this town alive and young. We’re just being practical by telling them, ‘Look, we want you in our community, and we want you to feel like you belong.’ “

Sometimes I get angry. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) published a report titled: The Cost of Illegal Immigration to New Jerseyites, by Jack Martin, Director of Special Projects

This will be an evolving and lengthy diary. I can’t help myself. I should probably tell all of you that I was born in Pereira, Colombia. My family crossed the Mexican border to escape the puppet state that is Colombia. I love Englewood because it is as diverse a municipality as you will find in all of Bergen County.

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 26,203 people, 9,273 households, and 6,481 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,056.3/km² (5,322.0/mi²). There were 9,614 housing units at an average density of 754.5/km² (1,952.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 42.49% White, 38.98% African American, 0.27% Native American, 5.21% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.50% from other races, and 4.50% from two or more races. 21.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

7.17% of Englewood residents identified themselves as being of Colombian American ancestry in the 2000 Census, the ninth highest percentage of the population of any municipality in the United States.

.

That is not including the massive Colombian-American colony found in the other D37 municipalities, namely Hackensack, Bergenfield and Bogota.

I’m not sure where this post will go. Inevitably, this will all conclude with more thoughts on the Hispanic leadership in Bergen County. And some of the policies that many of the organizations in New Jersey that claim to represent us support that are a betrayal to our community. But before I get there, I will indulge myself with some personal reading/references/musings. I hope to refute absolutely every single conclusion in FAIR’s report.

And yes, I will have to comment on LADA (The Latino American Democratic Association of Bergen County)and why LASO-NJ must succeed and move beyond our seemingly inauspicious birth.

The Republican Mayor who lost, opposed the measure which passed 4-1 with the Mayor as the lone dissenting vote…

Hilton called for the committee to essentially kill the ordinance, which is the target of two lawsuits, so that the immigration issue could be considered by newly-elected committee members in 2007.

Hilton said it would be “morally and ethically wrong to ignore the views of the voters.”

The orignal ordinance was already facing many legal hurdles…

A group of local businesspeople last month challenged the measure in state court, saying it’s discriminatory, vague and unfair to local merchants.

The group’s attorney, Jim Katz of Cherry Hill, contends the amended measure “suffers from the identical problems as the old ordinance. Specifically, municipalities in New Jersey lack the power to regulate immigration.”

That does raise an interesting question though. Does the municipality have the power to regulate immgration?

Today, U.S. Senator Mel Martinez was named the new general chairman of the Republican National Committee. Like Senator Menendez, Senator Martinez is a Cuban-American.

And also like Senator Menendez, Senator Martinez voted to table this amendment:

S.Amdt. 3985 to S. 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006)
To reduce document fraud, prevent identity theft, and preserve the integrity of the Social Security system, by ensuring that persons who receive an adjustment of status under this bill are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity.

If you’ve already forgotten, this vote spawned numerous attacks on Senator Menendez. My home received two mailers, funded by the NJ Republican State Committee, entirely devoted to that vote. And who can forget the ads?

So the question is, ‘Will the NJ GOP attack Chairman Martinez for giving Amnesty and Social Security benefits to illegal aliens?’

A list of the other GOP Senators who voted to table the amendment after the jump.

One widow has more than $2 million but walks or rides the bus everywhere, terrified of drawing attention. Another millionaire widow stopped going to 9/11 support groups because she feared that families of police officers and firefighters might betray her. A widower has enough money to start a business building houses, but cannot buy himself a home.

All three lost a husband or a wife when the World Trade Center collapsed. Like thousands of others, they were beneficiaries of the federal Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund, which awarded millions of dollars to families whose loved ones died in the attacks.

But a secret sets these three apart. Like their spouses who died, each is in the country illegally. Even though the government compensated them richly for their losses, making them wealthier than they ever dreamed, the money did not change their immigration status. They fear they could be deported any day.

If you remember the beginning of The Godfather, Don Corleone aids a young couple in love by arranging for a special act of Congress so the young man — an Italian Prisoner of War no less — can become a U.S. citizen. It’s fiction, of course, but I’d like to think the U.S. government can match the Mafia in generosity.

Mayor Sharpe James took a 5 day vacation in Rio on the taxpayers of Newark before leaving office by charging it to a credit card used as the former Mayor’s expense account.

A second day care center was operating on a former petroleum company site in Franklin with ties to the same real estate company as Kiddie Kollege. A third daycare on a contaminated site was found in Toms River last week. The state is investigating over 1800 sites taken off a list of contaminated sites.

The measure passed 5-0. Violators would be subject to fines of up to $1,000 and other penalties and Employers could lose their local business licenses.

One resident supporting the new measure had a sign that read, “Drive your van back across the Rio Grande.” Another resident said “If you’re not in this country legally, you are not in this town legally,”

A resident opposing the measure said, “The problem is discrimination. If you read the history of Riverside, it was built on immigration. Why is it a problem now?”

My questions: How are they going to enforce this and is this even legal? This debate needs a serious discussion because it’s not going away and i dont think there are any easy answers.